Apparatus for dislodging skulls from slag or cinder ladles

ABSTRACT

An inverted ladle, in which a skull is stuck, is provided with a vertical hole through its upper end. Inserted in this hole is a pin that extends above the ladle. A power hammer that has been lowered close to the upper end of the pin is then operated to drive the pin down into the ladle in order to knock the skull loose from inside the ladle. The power hammer operates in a framework temporarily resting on the ladle around the pin.

United States Patent 1191 Jones APPARATUS FOR DISLODGING SKULLS FROM SLAG 0R GENDER LADLES lnventor: Richard K. Jones, 347 Thompsonville Road, McMurray, Pa. 15317 Filed: Aug. 24, 1971 Appl. No.: 174,352

US. Cl ..266/1 S Int. Cl. .;..C21b 7/14 Field of Search ..l5/l04.l C, 89, 94; 266/1 R,

References b11511 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1899 Shook et al ..266/l S l o M 'L' QIIQLW 1 51 Mar. 27, 1973 12 1900 Waldburger ..266/1 5 10/1904 McCarthy ..266/1 s Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts Attorney-Brown, Murray, Flich & Peckham [57] ABSTRACT A 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented March 27, 1973 3,722,868

5 Sheets-Sheet l l/VVE/VTOR. /a/A D KJOA/ES BY ww wwam Patented March 27, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A TTORA/EVS' APPARATUS FOR DISLODGING SKULLS FROM SLAG R CINDER LADLES In the making of steel, slag and cinders are poured into ladles and then transported to a slag heap where the ladles are tipped over to permit the contents to run out. However, the contents sometimes contain enough molten steel to cause the slag to adhere to the inside of the ladle if the metal cools enough before the ladle is emptied. It then becomes necessary to chip out the skull with air hammers or the like. This is a long and expensive process.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for dislodgin'g skulls from ladles, which is much quicker and cheaper than heretofore, and which is simple in construction and operation.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side view showing the apparatus about to dislodge a skull from an inverted ladle;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front view;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged rear view taken on the line III- III of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary plan view.

Referring to the drawings, a tapered ladle 1 containing a stuck skull 2 is inverted so that it is supported on its rim with its rounded bottom at its upper end. vertical hole 3 several inches in diameter, such as 4 to 8 inches, is burned, cut or drilled through the center of the upper end of the ladle. A strong shock absorbing pad 4, which may be a large block of wood, is also provided with a vertical hole through it that is aligned with the ladle hole when the block is placed on top of the ladle. With the two holes aligned, a heavy pin 5 is inserted in them, with its lower end resting on the skull and its upper end extending above the shock absorbing block. The upper end of the pin preferably is provided with a head 6 that is spaced from the block.

A vertical framework is then set on the ladle around the pin. The framework may be rectangular in horizontal section and may have an open front face as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. It is formed from four corner posts 8 that are connected by suitable horizontal or diagonal braces 9 at the back and at opposite sides. The lower ends of the posts are provided with feet 10 that have inclined concave lower surfaces conforming to the curvature of the upper end of the inverted ladle on which they rest. To make the framework more rigid, the feet can be tied together by-a horizontal ring 11 secured to them. Connecting the upper ends of the corner posts are parallel side plates 12 supporting a cross shaft 13, on the central portion of which a couple of sheaves 14 are rotatably mounted for a purpose that will be I described presently.

Secured to the outer surfaces .of the braces 9 at opposite sides of the framework in locations about midway between the front and rear posts are outwardly facendless tracks, can carry the framework from one location to another, raise and lower it and move it sideways.

To enable the framework to be raised and lowered relative to the boom, the back of the framework is provided near its lower end with rearwardly projecting brackets 23, in which a horizontal shaft 24 is mounted. Joumalled on this shaft is one or more sheaves 25, while journalled on the boom shaft 19 there likewise is one or more sheaves 26. Preferably, there are two sheaves on each shaft. A cable 27 is reeved around the sheaves and has one end anchored to the boom, such as to a collar 28 (FIG. 3) on its shaft. The other end of the cable extends down and back into the crane cab to a suitable winding drum (not shown), so that when the cable is reeled in by the drum it will cause the framework guide members 16 to slide upwardly on the plate bars 17. Conversely, when the cable is paid out, the framework will descend by gravity.

Theinside of the framework likewise is provided with a pair of vertical channels or guideways 30. These are back to back with the outer channels 16 and open inwardly toward each other. Straddling each guideway 30 is another channel 31 that is rigidly secured to the adjoining side of a power hammer 32 of any suitable conventional construction. For example, the hammer can be electrically operated or driven by steam power. The top of the hammer carries a yoke 33, in which a pair of .sheaves 34 are journalled. Another cable 35 from another drum in the crane cab extends up and over one of the sheaves 14, down around a sheave 34, and up and over the other upper sheave and then down around the other sheave 34 and back up to shaft 13, i

where the cable is anchored. By reeling in this cable, the hammer can be lifted in the framework. The lower end of the power hammer is provided with a vertically reciprocating impact member 36 for driving pin 5 I downwardly in the ladle.

To use thisapparatus, the cables are reeled in in order to raise the framework relative to the crane boom and to elevate the power hammer in the'framework. After hole 3 has been formed in the upper end of the inverted ladle and the pin 5 and shock absorbing block 4 put in place, the crane moves the framework into a position above the ladle and then the framework is lowered by cable 27 until its feet 10 rest on the ladle. The framework can be correctly positioned by manipulating the crane boom and the cable. With the framework seated in correct position on the ladle, the other cable 35 is let out sufficiently to lower the power hammer 32 until its impact member 36 engages or substantially engages the head 6 of the pin. The hammer is then operated in a well-known manner to reciprocate the impact member, which will drive the pin downwardly to separate the skull from the wall of the ladle. The hammer may have to be operated as long as I ing vertical channels 16. These channels form tracks or fifteen minutes before the skull breaks away from the ladle. If by that time the skull has not become dislodged, it can be assumed that it has become welded to the ladle too securely to be separated from it and the ladle will have to be scrapped. To prevent the head of the pin or, in its absence, the impact member of the hammer from striking the ladle directly, the shock absorbing block 4 takes the impact and softens the blow.

The apparatus disclosed herein can be moved.

quickly from one ladle to another, so that skulls can be removed from successive ladies arranged in a row adjacent the crane or in a circle around it, with very little time lost in moving from one ladle to another. After the skull has been removed from a ladle in this manner, the hole 3 in its smaller end can readily be plugged in any suitable manner so that the ladle can be put back in service. It will be seen that practically no manual effort is required in the skull-removing operation. During that operation, the operator is safe in the crane cab a considerable distance away from the hammer and ladle.

According to the provisions of the patent statute s, I

have explained the principle of my invention and have.

illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. The combination with an inverted ladle in which a skull is stuck, the ladle have a vertical hole through its upper end, of a pin slidably disposed in said hole and extending above the ladle, a vertical framework resting on the ladle around said pin, vertical guide members rigidly mounted inside the framework, means holding the framework upright, power hammer means above the pin movable vertically along said guide members, means for raising and lowering said hammer means relative to the guide members to support the hammer means substantially in engagement with the upper end of the pin, and means for operating the hammer means to drive the pin down into the ladle in order to knock the skull loose from inside the ladle.

2. The combination recited in claim l, in which said holding means is a crane.

3. The combination recited in claim 2, in which said raising and lowering means include a cable operated by the crane.

4. The combination recited in claim 1, in which said framework includes feet at its lower end shaped to conform to the surface of the ladle engaged by them.

5. The combination recited in claim 1, including a pair of horizontally spaced plates, means supporting the plates in straddling relation with said framework, means connecting the framework with the plates for vertical movement relative thereto, and means connected with the framework for raising and lowering it relative to said plates.

6. The combination recited in claim 5, in which said plate-supporting means include a crane boom and pivot pins projecting from opposite sides of the upper end of the boom into holes in said plates.

7. The combination recited in claim 5, including sheaves supported by the upper end of said boom and the lower part of said framework, and a crane cable extending around said sheaves for raising the framework.

8. The combination recited in claim 5, in which said plate-supporting means include a crane boom and pivot pins projecting from opposite sides of the upper end of the boom into holes in said plates, said combination including sheaves supported by the upper end of said boom and the lower part of said framework, and a crane cable extending around said sheaves and having one end anchored to the upper end of the boom, the opposite endof the crane cable being adapted to be pulled to raise said framework. 

1. The combination with an inverted ladle in which a skull is stuck, the ladle have a vertical hole through its upper end, of a pin slidably disposed in said hole and extending above the ladle, a vertical framework resting on the ladle around said pin, vertical guide members rigidly mounted inside the framework, means holding the framework upright, power hammer means above the pin movable vertically along said guide members, means for raising and lowering said hammer means relative to the guide members to support the hammer means substantially in engagement with the upper end of the pin, and means for operating the hammer means to drive the pin down into the ladle in order to knock the skull loose from inside the ladle.
 2. The combination recited in claim 1, in which said holding means is a crane.
 3. The combination recited in claim 2, in which said raising and lowering means include a cable operated by the crane.
 4. The combination recited in claim 1, in which said framework includes feet at its lower end shaped to conform to the surface of the ladle engaged by them.
 5. The combination recited in claim 1, including a pair of horizontally spaced plates, means supporting the plates in straddling relation with said framework, means connecting the framework with the plates for vertical movement relative thereto, and means connected with the framework for raising and lowering it relative to said plates.
 6. The combination recited in claim 5, in which said plate-supporting means include a crane boom and pivot pins projecting from opposite sides of the upper end of the boom into holes in said plates.
 7. The combination recited in claim 5, including sheaves supported by the upper end of said boom and the lower part of said framework, and a crane cable extending around said sheaves for raising the framework.
 8. The combination recited in claim 5, in which said plate-supporting means include a crane boom and pivot pins projecting from opposite sides of the upper end of the boom into holes in said plates, said combination including sheaves supported by the upper end of said boom and the lower part of said framework, and a crane cable extending around said sheaves and having one end anchored to the upper end of the boom, the opposite end of the crane cable being adapted to be pulled to raise said framework. 